The Supermono was an early Ducati project for Pierre Terblanche. Before motorcycle design, he had studied at London’s Royal College of Art and worked on car styling. Meeting Massimo Tamburini at the 1985 Milan show opened the way to Cagiva.
In the museum photograph, the long side fairing leads towards a short, raised tail. A pronounced space for one rider sits between tank and tail unit. The opening above the fairing exposes frame tubes and controls, making the structure part of the visual composition.
This was a competition motorcycle, built in just 67 examples. Ducati’s historical account lists four valves and 75 hp for its liquid-cooled 550 cc single-cylinder engine. Claudio Domenicali was responsible for turning the project into a technical reality.
The Supermono rewards looking beyond power figures: red surfaces alternate with exposed machinery, while the seat recess connects the front and rear volumes. It offers a useful design exercise—trace the rider’s space and the proportions of the parts before focusing on the badge.